A/N: Second chapter! :p I hope you like it, and if you do, please review and give feedback! :D

Over a few chilly days, the fabled group was heading to Orzammar from the docks at Lake Calenhad, and Elise had noticed a change in Sten since they had talked by the lake. He looked for any excuse to just be around her. Not that she minded, none of the others seemed to want to. She wasn't sure why, and she wasn't keen to find out either.

At present they were heading over a rocky mountain pass. Elise attempted to look ahead for any threat to their lives, but was preoccupied by the threat of ice on the rocks under foot. Well, ice, and Sandal. He found it absolutely hilarious to sneak up on her and yell "Boo!" Apparently it was a game, but so far she had not won any points.

Elise looked up for one second, and felt her feet start to give way under her. She felt around for footing, but had stepped onto all ice. Just as she began to fall, she felt two large arms loop under her own. She only had time to blink before Sten had lifted her onto his broad shoulders.

The tiny elf had to take a deep breath, cheeks red. "Thank you, Sten."

"You are welcome, Kadan."

They both heard Alistair's huff in the background. "Sten, why carry her? She's more used to the terrain than you are, and she's wearing armor!" It was true; the Qunari's homeland had no mountains and certainly no ice. The giant was like a fish out of water.

His response was Steely. He didn't like to be second-guessed. "She is one of only two Grey Wardens. She should waste her energy on Darkspawn, not rocks. She is precious."

Alistair's face twisted into a frown as he slipped on ice while voicing, "Well, I am one of only two Wardens. I'm precious too. Will you carry me?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Sten was silent for a bit before answering. "…You are too fat."

"Buh—wha—huh?" He mumbled.

Elise giggled. For once, Sten made no sense, and he didn't care. "Stop eating so much cheese, precious!" She guffawed. A smile tugged at her ride's lips when she sank her fingers into his thick ponytail.

"Wha—the amount of cheese I eat has nothing to do with anything!"

A few more hours of begrudging silence and the sun had begun to set, making it harder to see the ice. "Maybe we should stop and camp for the night," Wynne suggested, always the voice of reason.

Her opinion was unanimously agreed upon. Elise's eyes were drooping and she was beginning to use his head as a pillow. He would squeeze her calf every so often to make sure she wasn't completely despondent, but his last few efforts had been met with a "l'emme alone…"

They trekked for a while longer until a suitable mountain cave was found and camp was set up. Elise and Sten were the only ones left by the fire. She stood up to retire for the night when she heard her name called softly, the way Sten always said it, carefully, like it was a treasure. "Yeah, Sten…?"

"It's cold…"

She nodded. Battle had given her a head thicker than a dwarven helmet. And just as impermeable.

He noticed and elaborated. "You are a Grey Warden, you should not have to suffer these temperatures like a commoner."

Oh… She realized, smiling inwardly.

Excuses, excuses.

"It would be… pertinent of you to sleep in my tent. We Qunaris are born to withstand heat. We radiate it." He always had a reason for everything.

Elise blushed. "Okay, Stennie, I will."

They headed into his tent, and laid down at opposite sides.

"Stennie." He mumbled. "What is that?"

"It's a nickname."

"…What is 'nick'…?"

"It's fun." She giggled lightly.

"Parshaara." He mumbled, his dark face turning rosy. He leaned one large arm over and pulled her close to him. "Unnecessary."

"That's the pot calling the kettle black!"

He was confused. "Kitchenware cannot talk."

"…Good night, Stennie."